Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-05-22
A NOVEL.
CONTINUED.
CHAPTER XII.
OVEN 1T.

Oven 1T.
On leaving the house Bessie and John
,ook their way down the long avenue Of
blrs-yums. This avenue was old Silas
Crott's particular pride, for although it had
only been planted for about twenty years,
n, trees, which in the divine climate and
y;ryip soil Of the T~rsnsyaal grow at the
most extraordinary rate, where for the
most mart very lofty, and as thick in the
stem as English oaks of q hundred and
fifty wears standing. The avenue was not
nyer-wide, and the trees were planted quite
close one TO another, with the result that
their brown, pillar-like stems shot up for
many feet without a branch, while high
overhead the bOughs crossed and inter
mingled in such q way as to form a leafy
,ppnel. through which one looked at the
landscape beyond as one does through a
telescope.
Down this charming avenu John and
Bss,ie walked, and on reaching its limit
turped to the right and followed a little
footpath winding in and out of the rocks
hat built up the plateau on the hillside
IN which the house stood. Presently this
led them through the orchard, and then
came a bare strip of yeldt q very danger
nus spot in a thunderstorm, but a great
safeguard to the house and trees round it,
frr the ironstone cropped up here, and
from the house n might generally see
flash after flash striking down on toit, and
even running and zigzagging about its sur
t,rp. To the left of this were some Guilt
waited lands, and in front of them the plan
tation in which John was anxious to in
spect some recently planted wattles.
They walked right to the cOpse without
saving a word. It was surrounded by a
ditch and a low sod wall, whereon Bessie
seated herself, saying that she would wait
there till he had looked ut the trees, as she
Nls afraid of the p~utf-adders, of which u
larye and thriving family were known to
live in the plantation.
John aSSented, remarking that the puff
adders were brutes, and that he must have
some pigs turned in to destroy them
which the pigs DO by munching them up,
apparently without unpleasant con
SEQUENCES To themSelyes-and then de-
parted on his GRAND, vending his way
g~iuycrly through the teathery black wat
Ties. II did not take long, and he saw no
puG.adders. When he had finished look
Ing at the young trees he returned, still
walking delicately as Agag. On getting to
~ - - tha p1anNafinp ha nauoaI IN
look az Bessie, who was some twenty PAGES
from him, perched sideways on the low
sod wall. and framed, as il were, in the
full rich light ofthe setting sun. Her hat
MAS oil, for the sun had lost its burning
force. and the hand that held il hung idly
by her. while her eyes were fixed on the
horizon flaming with all the varied glories
of the African sunset. He gazed at her
sweet lace and llSSOm form, and some lines
that he had read years before hOated idly
into his mind.
The little curls abOut her head
Were all her crown Of gold,
iIrr delicate arms dropped
IN slender mould,
s., Nhitc-yrluei leaves Of lilies
ruryr ami fold,
she muyrl Ia measure ct Emusic,
AsaSwau sails the stream
He had got As far as this when she turned
and saw him, and he gave up the poetry in
the presence of one who might well have
inspired it.
What are You looking att" she said,
Wit a smile; THE sunset"
NO; / was looking ut you"
Then You might have been better EN-,
ployed with the sunset" she answered,
turning her head quickly. Look at it,
Dad YOU ever see such q sunset? We some
tunes get them like that at this time Of the
scar. when the thunderstOrms are about"
She WIS right; it was glorious. The
heavy clouds which q couple Of hours be
tore had been rolling like celestial hearses
across the azure deeps were now atamt
with glory. Some Of them glowed like
huge castles wrapped in fire, Others with
the dull red heat of burning coal. The
eastern sky was n sheet Of Furnished
gold, that slowly grew to red, and higher
yet to orange and the faiutest rose. To the
left departing SunbeamS rested lovingly on
gray Quathlamba's crests, even hiring the
eternal SHOWS that lay upon his highest
peak, and writing one more upon theil
wilderness the record Of another day iul
fulfilled. Lower down the sky ilOated lit
tie clouds, flame-tlakes fallen from the
burning mass above, and on the earth be
meath lay great depths Of shadow barred
with the brightness of the dying light.
John stood and looked at it, and its
living, glowing beauty seemed to fire his
imagination, - it fired earth and heaven,
in such sort that the torch OF love lit upon
mis- heart like the sunbeams on tue noun
taiu-tOps. Then from the celestial beauty
of the Skies be turned TO contemplate the
earthly beauty OF the woman who sat there
before him, and fORnd that also fair
Whether it was the contemplation Of thu
glOTleS of nature-tOT there lS always
suspicion of melancholy in beautiful thing
or whatever it was, her face bad q toucl
Of sadness on il that ne had never seen be
fore, aud which certainly added to 1T
charm IA a shadow adds to the charm o
the light.
What are you thinking OF, Bessie!'' b
asked.
She looked up, and he saw that her lip
were Quivering a little. well, do yOI
know, " she said, ~ was, oddly enough
thinking Of my mother. / can only jus
remember her, "A woman with a thin, swee
face. remember one evening she wa
sitting in front of house just as the sol
WAS setting like IL il now, and / was play
ing by her, when suddenly she called m
10 her and kissed ME, and then pointed Il
the red clouds that were gathered IN tn
ky and said, 4 wonder if YOU will eve
think OF me. dear, when | have passe'
through those golden gates?' did not IN
derstand what she meant then, hut some
how have remembered the words, ant
though she died so long z l do Oftel
think ot her" and two large tears rOlle'
down her face as she spoke.
Few men can bear TO see a sweet an'
pretty woman in tears, and this little in
cident was too much for John, who's
caution aud doubt all went to the wind
together, and have not since been heard OF
BESSIE" he said, don't cry, dear
please, don't? Ican't bear TO see You cry.
She looked CD as though to remonstrat
ut his words, and then looked down again
Listen, Bessie, " he went on, awkward,
~ =